Harriet R M Cass (born 4 February 1952) is a freelance broadcaster, best known for her work on BBC Radio 4 as a senior announcer, with responsibility for newsreading and continuity.
Born in London NW10, at the Central Middlesex Hospital, the fourth daughter of Edward G Cass and Ruth M Cass, Cass was educated at Queen's College, Harley Street, an independent day school for girls in London.
She joined the BBC in 1972 as a secretary, before becoming a studio manager and then announcer on Radio 4 in 1977. Later she became a sub-editor and Chief sub-editor in the BBC Radio Newsroom and then worked on the Radio 4 programme Today in Parliament. In 1996, she re-joined Radio 4, after some years away from the network, and since 1998 has been working mainly as a newsreader, including on The News Quiz. In 2003, with Chris Aldridge, she was promoted to the post of senior announcer, after Peter Donaldson stepped down. She has been the station's presentation editor.
In September, 2012, it was announced that Cass would leave the BBC, having opted for voluntary redundancy as the result of reorganisation. She left Radio 4 on the 21st March 2013, her final broadcast being the six o'clock news bulletin. She is now a freelance broadcaster.
She goes down fast and comes up slow
Gets in high and goes out low
Turns up late or doesn't show
She spends all her cash on letting go
I'm never early
I'm never late
I'm in at 5 and out at 8
Running just to keep the pace
When I'm tired I put on my bravest face
The sign said "Go Slow"
And lord knows how I tried to follow
Such a hard case with a soft face
You gave me one taste,
Now look at the shape I'm in
I love her but i like you too
My worst nightmare just came true
We might be done but we're not through
You wear me down just like you used to do
Hold me down under the sea
Drag me back to where we used to be
With the morning comes the the sun
The light of day just had to come
Now I know you're not the one